In an electric submersible pump, centrifugal pumps are often ganged into a stack of pump stages. Each centrifugal pump has an impeller and a diffuser, and the diffuser provides a housing that is also the structural member for supporting the other overlying pump stages. Since diffusers are typically made from castings to enable forming of the vanes, the load carrying walls are typically weak. The bottommost diffusers in a stack, for example in a long housing high-pressure pump, can experience high axial compressive loads resulting in yielding of these diffusers. Further, discharge fluid that leaks into the diffuser or housing annulus can cause collapse failure of the diffusers.